No, it's not an agreement. It's just the lottery rule. The 14 teams that don't make the playoffs get the first 14 picks. It doesn't matter if their records are better than some of the playoffs teams. So if the Rockets don't make the playoffs, they will get a higher pick than the Knicks even if they have a better record, and therefore no swap will be made.
They meant that, there is almost no way for the Knicks to miss the playoffs due to playing in the east. If the Rockets miss the playoffs, we are automatically a lottery team, as where the Knicks will make the playoffs and the pick swap is useless. If both teams make the playoffs, the knicks pick will be a lower pick cause their record won't be as good as the Rockets, unless the knicks make the 2nd round, I believe.
That is just a stupid lottery rule. The East and the West are so difference for a team to make a playoffs, it should be based on their records. We are in a bad shape right now.
I saw Ricky already responded to this, but if you want a more detailed description I made a post regarding our future draft picks. Here is the link. There is some detail about the swap and a breakdown of the rest of our picks. woMANly makes a good point about the swap in post #12, I also posted it in the original post. Bima also gives his take a few times, which is always a good read, especially if you want to learn about picks and/or the salary. Pugs
The rockets have a much better chance to make the playoffs than the knicks making the 2nd round, right now I just hope we can make the playoffs.
The 2nd round has nothing to do with it. All that matters is that we make the playoffs, they make the playoffs, and we have a better record, otherwise the swap is useless. Pugs
Plenty of debates on that subject right there. Some people like the current playoff system because it has balance between conferences. Others, want the top 14 teams to make the playoffs, regardless of conference.
are you guys really making a fuss over picks that will be in the mid teens? This year's draft is projected to be the worst since 2001, you're gonna get someone who wont be no more than a backup undersized shooting guard (there's plenty of them) or a raw big man like Jordan Hill or soft Euros who are foul prone with low IQ.
Wow, we're 2 games ahead of the Knicks record-wise... ridiculous how much that Carmelo trade hurt them. Unfortunately, they won't fall out of the playoff race, so we have to make the playoffs in order for the pick swap to be worth anything. Otherwise, we go to the lottery and they don't, making their pick worse. So, as always Rockets: MAKE THE PLAYOFFS.
Have you seen Patrick Patterson yet (#14 pick)? Do you watch games? Do you like the Rockets? I'm assuming "no" to all 3 questions.
Yeah, I'm the most disappointed in the Pacers, Bobcats and (especially) Bucks. I was expecting more from these teams this season (well, maybe Indiana's record is about what I expected). Milwaukee looked like a team ready to join the ranks of the Atlanta Hawks as a solid "second tier" team in the East. If those three teams had performed anything like they did last season, I think New York would be clawing just to get into the playoffs right now, maybe even be on the outside looking in. I can't really get mad at the Knicks being decent. But I'm pissed as hell that those other East "playoff contenders" just didn't show up this season.
To be fair, the 2010 Draft class was incredibly stacked. Players all knew the uncertainty of the 2011 draft and jumped ship early. We wouldn't be able to get a player like Pat that late in this draft class because this draft class just sucks.
[Devil's Advocate]If the Rockets make the playoffs along with the Knicks and swap, we'll pick #16 instead of at our spot of #18. But, if we miss the playoffs and don't swap, we'll have an even better pick at #14. Looking narrowly at the draft, we're better off if we can't use the swap.[/Devil's Advocate] But swapping does dampen the blow of making the playoffs, so I'm good with that.
:grin: I'm dealing with the same demons, Juan. Unfortunately, it looks like I failed in rooting Phoenix to the playoffs.
I hate to admit it, but I agree with this. If Patterson was involved in this draft, he would probably be a top 5 pick. Because of this, I am all for trading one of our picks (unfortunately we can't trade both due to the T-Will trade) for some future picks. Why? 1) Projected to be a bad draft 2) If we draft 3 players, most likely 1 or 2 of them will spend almost the entire year in the D-League barring injuries/trades 3) We already have a couple of "projects" on the team with Thabeet, Hill and T-Will 4) We may need future picks to make a trade for someone like Dwight Howard so that we can resign him (although I am majorly against this, but if it's the only way, so be it) 5) Last, but definitely not least.....it's not even likely Adelman will play them. Having the future picks gives us more trade options, and if we use the pick(s) to move up, he's more likely, in my opinion, to play a higher pick than a lower one. Draft our 1 1st rounder, trade our other 1st rounder for a future 1st and a future 2nd or a lower 1st this year and a future 2nd, trade our 2nd rounder for a future 2nd and cash (yeah, I'd rather have 2 future 2nd's too, but that's probably out of the question, so we'll have to get Les some cash, afterall, he did pay luxury tax). I wouldn't mind using them to move up either, but I would hate to give up too much just to get a player that is a top 5 pick in this draft, but most likely a 10-15 pick in any other draft. This means you will probably be overpaying him as well. This is why my first vote goes toward trading for future picks. Pugs Edit: Also keep in mind, it's pretty much a guarantee we'll be moving up in the 2nd round too. We have the right to swap 2nd round picks with the Clippers. This is probably a jump of about 10 picks.
That's a good point, but the way I see it (based on my post above) is that swapping gives us a better pick to trade, hopefully. Pugs
Advocate?! You must be the Devil himself if you'd rather have the #14 pick than MAKE THE PLAYOFFS and have the #16 pick!
I feel the same way, I thought the playoffs would be: Heat Boston Orlando Chicago (in no specific order really) Then we'd have Hawks at 5, Bucks at 6, and the Bobcats, Pacers and Knicks fighting for the 8th seed. Insetad Miluakee imploded, Bobcats rebuild, and the Pacers are just being their usual 'selves.
